HASSAN ABBAS

LAHORE: The appointment of permanent Vice Chancellors in ten public sector universities of Punjab and three federal universities has become a challenge for the newly elected provincial and federal governments of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

According to the details the four years tenure of vice chancellor of University of Engineering and Technology Lahore Dr Fazal Ahmad Khalid, vice chancellor of university of Gujarat professor Dr Zia ul Qayyum, vice chancellor Government College University Faisalabad Dr Muhammad Ali Shah, vice chancellor of Islamia University Bahawalpur Dr Qaiser Mushtaq will complete on December 16, 2018.

While the tenure of vice chancellor of Government College University for women Professor Dr Noreen Aziz Qureshi has ended on September 9, 2018. The tenure of vice chancellor Government College for Women University Sialkot Dr Farhat Saleemi has ended on September 11, 2018. The seat of Vice Chancellor University of Taxila was also vacant after the appointment of VC Taxila Dr Niaz Ahmad as Vice Chancellor Punjab University.

According to the sources in Punjab Higher Education Department the summary for the appointment of second tenure of Vice Chancellor of Punjab’s first Information Technology University Dr Umar Saif was in the office of provincial Higher Education Minister Raja Yasir Humayun and up till now no decision was taken in this regard. Sources also claimed that government is considering changing the criteria of the appointment of the vice chancellor that’s why the decision of the appointment of VC ITU is pending.

Vice Chancellor Government College University Dr Hassan Amir Shah has the charge of Vice Chancellor of University of Jhang established by former Punjab government. The process of the appointment of Vice Chancellors of newly established University of Muree and University of Jhang has not been started yet. Sources claimed that the process of the appointment of permanent Vice Chancellors has not been started yet.

The new government has not appointed permanent secretary Higher Education Punjab in the province. The government has given the additional charge of secretary Higher Education to Secretary Schools who is grade-20 officer Imran Sikandar Baloch. While in the federal capital the term of the Vice Chancellor of the biggest distance learning university Allama Iqbal Open University Dr Shahid Siddique will end on October 8, the term of Vice Chancellor of Quaide Azam University Dr Javed Ashraf and Rector International Islamic University Dr Masoom Yasin Zai will also end in October.

Sources in Ministry of Higher Education and Professional Training told Business Recorder that the process of appointment of vice chancellors of three public sector universities could not finalize because of the international engagements of federal education minister Shafqat Mahmood.

The high officials of federal Higher Education Department told Business Recorder that 300 candidates have submitted applications for the post of Vice Chancellors of three public sector federal universities. He said that vice chancellors will be appointed in these universities before the completion of the tenure of the present vice chancellors. President All Pakistan Federation of Universities Dr Mahboob Hussain said that permanent vice chancellors should be appointed in the public sector universities of Punjab and federation. He also said that there should be no role of bureaucracy and non academicians in the search committees.